الساعة كام؟
Is-sāʿa kām?
What time is it?
Usage
The basic Egyptian way to ask the time. الساعة means "the hour" and كام means "how many".
Grammar Note
No verb is needed: the question word follows the noun. The answer has the same shape: الساعة + number.
النهارده يوم ايه؟
In-nahārda yōm ē?
What day of the week is it today?
Usage
Used to check the day of the week. In Egypt Friday is the weekly holiday and the weekend is Friday and Saturday.
Grammar Note
ايه after a noun means "which / what". Composed from dictionary-verified words.
النهارده، بكرة، امبارح
In-nahārda, bukra, imbāriḥ
Today, tomorrow, yesterday
Usage
The three basic day words. Written Arabic اليوم / غدا / أمس is not used in conversation.
Grammar Note
Each word works alone as an adverb.
الاسبوع ده، الاسبوع الجاي، الاسبوع اللي فات
Il-usbūʿ da, il-usbūʿ il-gayy, il-usbūʿ illi fāt
This week, next week, last week
Usage
For referring to weeks. ده is "this", الجاي is "coming" and اللي فات is "that has passed".
Grammar Note
The demonstrative follows the noun. A feminine noun takes دي instead.
الصبح، في العصر، ع المسا، بالليل
Iṣ-ṣubḥ, fil-ʿaṣr, ʿal-masa, bil-lēl
In the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night
Usage
For naming the part of the day. العصر is mid-to-late afternoon and المسا is around dusk.
Grammar Note
bi- + الليل gives "at night". Parts of the day also work as bare adverbs.
هياخد قد ايه عشان نوصل هناك؟
Ha-yākhud add ē ʿashān nūṣal hināk?
How long will it take to get there?
Usage
The usual way to ask how long a trip will take.
Grammar Note
Future is ha- + imperfect. Composed from dictionary-verified words.
يلا نتقابل الساعة تلاتة العصر
Yalla nitʾābil is-sāʿa talāta il-ʿaṣr
Let's meet at 3 pm.
Usage
For fixing a meeting time. يلا means "come on".
Grammar Note
n- + verb means "let's". The time is الساعة + number, with العصر for the afternoon. Composed from verified words.
الساعة اتنين ونص، الساعة خمسة الا ربع
Is-sāʿa itnēn wi-nuṣṣ, is-sāʿa khamsa illa rubʿ
Half past two, quarter to five
Usage
Half past is ونص and quarter to is الا ربع.
Grammar Note
wi- is "and" and illa is "except". Minutes are added or taken off after the hour number.
مفتوح في نهاية الاسبوع؟
Maftūḥ fi nihāyit il-usbūʿ?
Is it open on weekends?
Usage
Asked at a shop or attraction. The Egyptian weekend is Friday and Saturday.
Grammar Note
No question word is needed; rising intonation makes it a question. Composed from verified words.
بدري أوي، ومتأخر أوي
Badri awi, wi-mitʾakhkhar awi
Too early, and too late
Usage
Used when settling a time. أوي means "very" and follows the adjective.
Grammar Note
The adjectives here are invariable for a single speaker; wi- means "and".
بيبدأ امتى وبيخلص امتى؟
Bi-yibda imta wi-bi-yikhlaṣ imta?
When does it start and when does it end?
Usage
For asking about the schedule of an event or visit. امتى means "when".
Grammar Note
bi- + imperfect expresses a habitual or scheduled event.
من يوم الاتنين لحد يوم الجمعة
Min yōm il-itnēn li-ḥadd yōm il-gumʿa
From Monday to Friday
Usage
For opening days or travel dates. من … لحد means "from … until".
Grammar Note
A weekday is يوم + the + the day name.
يوم واحد
Yōm wāḥid
One day
Usage
Used to state a duration.
Grammar Note
The number واحد follows the noun.
نص يوم
Nuṣṣ yōm
Half a day
Usage
Used to give a rough duration.
Grammar Note
The number واحد follows the noun.
اسبوع واحد
Usbūʿ wāḥid
One week
Usage
Used for the length of a stay.
Grammar Note
The number واحد follows the noun.
شهر واحد
Shahr wāḥid
One month
Usage
Used to state a duration.
Grammar Note
The number واحد follows the noun.
سنة واحدة
Sana wāḥda
One year
Usage
Used to state a duration. سنة is feminine, so the number is واحدة.
Grammar Note
The number واحد follows the noun.
يوم الاتنين
Yōm il-itnēn
Monday
Usage
Used to name a weekday: يوم + the + the day name.
Grammar Note
The day name takes the definite article.
يوم التلات
Yōm it-talāt
Tuesday
Usage
Used to name a weekday: يوم + the + the day name.
Grammar Note
The day name takes the definite article.
يوم الاربع
Yōm il-arbaʿ
Wednesday
Usage
Used to name a weekday: يوم + the + the day name.
Grammar Note
The day name takes the definite article.
يوم الخميس
Yōm il-khamīs
Thursday
Usage
Used to name a weekday: يوم + the + the day name.
Grammar Note
The day name takes the definite article.
يوم الجمعة
Yōm il-gumʿa
Friday
Usage
Egypt's weekly holiday. Many shops stay closed until after the midday prayer.
Grammar Note
The day name takes the definite article.
يوم السبت
Yōm is-sabt
Saturday
Usage
The second day of the Egyptian weekend.
Grammar Note
The day name takes the definite article.
يوم الحد
Yōm il-ḥadd
Sunday
Usage
Sunday is الحد in speech, not the written الاحد. In Egypt it is the first working day of the week.
Grammar Note
The day name takes the definite article.
النهارده
In-nahārda
Today
Usage
Used to talk about today.
Grammar Note
A bare adverb.
بكرة
Bukra
Tomorrow
Usage
Used to talk about tomorrow.
Grammar Note
A bare adverb.
امبارح
Imbāriḥ
Yesterday
Usage
Used to talk about yesterday.
Grammar Note
A bare adverb.
بعد بكرة
Baʿd bukra
The day after tomorrow
Usage
بعد ("after") + بكرة ("tomorrow").
Grammar Note
Two words set side by side. Composed from verified words.
اول امبارح
Awwil imbāriḥ
The day before yesterday
Usage
اول ("first") + امبارح ("yesterday").
Grammar Note
Two words set side by side. Composed from verified words.
دلوقتي
Dilwaʾti
Now
Usage
Used to say "now".
Grammar Note
A bare adverb.
بعدين
Baʿdēn
Later
Usage
Used to say "later".
Grammar Note
A bare adverb.
ساعة واحدة
Sāʿa wāḥda
One hour
Usage
Used to state a duration.
Grammar Note
ساعة is feminine.
ساعتين
Sāʿtēn
Two hours
Usage
Used to state a duration. The dual ending -ēn means "two".
Grammar Note
"Two" is expressed by the dual ending on the noun.
تلاتين دقيقة
Talatīn daʾīʾa
Thirty minutes
Usage
Used to state a duration. After numbers above ten the noun is singular.
Grammar Note
The noun stays singular after the number.
الصبح
Iṣ-ṣubḥ
Morning
Usage
Used to name the morning.
Grammar Note
A noun with the definite article.
الضهر
Iḍ-ḍuhr
Noon
Usage
Used to name midday. It is also the name of the midday prayer time.
Grammar Note
A noun with the definite article.
المسا
Il-masa
Evening
Usage
Used to name the evening.
Grammar Note
A noun with the definite article.
بالليل
Bil-lēl
At night
Usage
Used to say "at night".
Grammar Note
bi- means "in / at".
نص الليل
Nuṣṣ il-lēl
Midnight
Usage
Used to name the middle of the night.
Grammar Note
نص ("half") + الليل ("the night").
كل يوم
Kull yōm
Every day
Usage
Used to state frequency.
Grammar Note
After كل the noun is singular and has no article.
كل اسبوع
Kull usbūʿ
Every week
Usage
Used to state frequency.
Grammar Note
After كل the noun is singular and has no article.
كل شهر
Kull shahr
Every month
Usage
Used to state frequency.
Grammar Note
After كل the noun is singular and has no article.
الاسبوع ده
Il-usbūʿ da
This week
Usage
Used to point to this week.
Grammar Note
The demonstrative follows the noun.
الاسبوع الجاي
Il-usbūʿ il-gayy
Next week
Usage
Used to point to next week.
Grammar Note
The adjective takes the article too.
الاسبوع اللي فات
Il-usbūʿ illi fāt
Last week
Usage
Used to point to last week.
Grammar Note
اللي + verb means "the one that …".
نهاية الاسبوع
Nihāyit il-usbūʿ
The weekend
Usage
Used for the weekend, which in Egypt is Friday and Saturday.
Grammar Note
نهاية joins the next noun: "end of …".
يناير
Yanāyir
January
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
فبراير
Fibrāyir
February
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
مارس
Māris
March
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
ابريل
Abrīl
April
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
مايو
Māyu
May
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
يونيو
Yunyu
June
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
يوليو
Yulyu
July
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
اغسطس
Aghusṭus
August
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
سبتمبر
Sibtambir
September
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
اكتوبر
Uktōbar
October
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
نوفمبر
Nofambir
November
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
ديسمبر
Disambir
December
Usage
A month name. Egypt uses these Western-style names, not the Levantine ones such as كانون or شباط.
Grammar Note
Month names are used as bare proper nouns.
More Egyptian Arabic phrases
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